Gloria Anzaldúa's How To Tame A Wild Tongue

An author is similar to a magician. They must put together certain pieces in order for the act to work. They have a secret that is not known to the audience, but the very few who bother to look deeper. Behind an act, is always a meaning. In many card tricks, one deceives the person similarly how an author inserts plot twists, and irony into their stories. The beginning and ending are of the utmost importance in both cases. An author, especially, must know where to put emphasis in order to make the story flow. I believe How to Tame a Wild Tongue showcases a rich blend between tone, symbolism and metaphors. Gloria Anzaldua is able to raise awareness to the issues at hand while keeping her emotions at bay. Anzaldua begins her story with an anecdote. She describes a dentist appointment, in which a cleansing is taking place. The dentist was getting extremely frustrated because Gloria could not control her tongue. Whenever the dentist would try to touch something, her tongue would block his way. “‘We’re going to have to do something about your tongue.’ I hear the anger rising in his voice.” (Anzaldua, How to Tame a Wild Tongue) I believe this is where the reader
Anzaldúa's story of How to Tame a Wild Tongue proved to be a convincing argument about the changes and stereotypes still felt in this country. This is partly due because of her representation of the Chicano people that live on both sides of the border. The narration she provides about her experiences in the United States as a Chicana emphasizes the importance of the language. She was pressured for many years to assimilate. She was coerced into forgetting her language and using only the dominant one. She was able to resist it. Her style of writing is poetic and emotional. She is able to move people with her words using anecdotes, tone and symbolism. Her primary device is imagery. Her story is filled with rich imagery that pulls in the reader and lets non-Latinos experience the Chicano